The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-07
THE COMING CATHOLIC COUNCIL.
One of It's Chief Promoters Replies to Ger
tain Animadversions as to Its Purpose.

CINCINNATI, o., Aug. 6.-Rev William Tap
pert, of Covingtop, Ky. chairman of the COM
mittee arrangements for the first American
German Catholic convention, called to meet in
Chicago Sept. 6, referring to dispatches in the
Associated Press report of Aug g. purportiug to
give the real objects of the convention, says:
II was astonished to see the dispatch What
the prominent Catholic priest of the city of
New York says in the Herald is absolutely
absurd. He misconstrues altogether the aims
and objects OF this convention. Such meet
ings, while rare in the United States
are common in Germany, France, Belgium,
and Italy, and have been for many
years. Their benefits have long been known
and felt. not alone by the church in general. but
by the Catholics of those countries. The orig
inators. to call them So have been for some
time desirious of introducing them into Amer
lea. use the word originators, although the
idea has been for long time entertained, and
recently eliminated in the in vtatIon which has
been made public in all German and many Eng
lish Carho'is papers of the country. To give
greater publicity to the objects of the NEE ting.
and to correct what Is a ruinous idea OF it.
will state them again. But let me say that it is
not in the least designed to further the advance
menr of the German priesthood or retard the
advancement OF the Irish priesthood to the
episcopacy, and what the rector of the German
Catholic Church in New York Gays in the Her
aid on this point is emphatcally alb
surd. The convention will not and
cannot have any voice whatever in the
selection of bishops for the church in America,
nor in the government Of affairs in the d;oceses,
and does not desire 20 gain it. What the gentle
says is emphatically denied as untrue alb
surd, and impossible. This is self-evident to any
Catholic since the convention can only exist
with the cooperation of the episcopate. and
could not exist for a moment without its positive
appreciation. 1t will meet in Chicago, the venera-
bic archbishop of which very cordially gave
to me the permission to hold the convention in
his city.
1.-THE prime object which will be sought in the
meeting will be a declaration to the world of the
umbe. ~steadfast faith of the Ger nan American
Catholics and their devotion to the Holy See and
the episcopate Of the church in America.
Very many Of the bishops have been in
vited; so have all the abbots of religious orders
in America. Some have already accepted the
invitation which extended two days ago, being
chairman of the committee on arrangements,
and each and all of them will be cordially
welcomed.
'.Thers will be present from all parts of the
United States cergymeu and laymen and dis
cussion will be had all prominent questions
of the day. following in this the programme of
similar meetings in Europe. For example, the
labor question, parochial schools, the German
Catholic press, societies, benevolent and other
wise. cts. During the session eulogy on Pope
Leo will be promulgated
Further misrepresentation of the objects of
the meeting will not be noticed. Instead of at
tempting foster ill-feeling between the Ger
man aud Irish Catholic fellow-ctizens the
contrary will be the result. It will be the aim
of the convention to plant deeper the tenets of
our holy faith in America and from observ-
anco of which manly love and good will can come
to all men. We will not forget are Catholics.
Neither will we, while acknowl Lodging our Ger
man descent. forget another thing-that we are
American citizens"